Lock for ironing boards and the like



Oct. 22 1929. J, GILBERT 1,732,800

LOCK FOR IRONING BOARDS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 21, 1926 {IHIIIIIHIIIIHH M I I} h Patented Oct. 22, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY J. GILBERT, oF'sA INAw, MICHIGAN;ARNOILD BOUTELL, CHARLES 'r. GILBERT, AND HARWOOD .r. GILBERT, EXEGU'DORS or SAID HENRY J. e nnnnr, DECEASED, ASSIGNORS TO sAGINAw MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or SAGINAW, MICHIGAN,

A CORPORATION or MICHIGAN LOOK FOR IRONI'NG BOARDSAND THE LIKE Application filed J'anuary 21, 1826. Serial No. 82,666.

My invention relates to a locking device which is designed to provide means for a quick detachable connection between an inclined strut member and a horizontal top member, and, as herein described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is particularly applicable and was specifically designed for use in connecting an inclined supporting strut forming part of a collapsible leg structure and the top or table member of a folding table, such, for instance, as the ironing table shown in my pending application for patent filed September 24, 1925, Serial No. 58,229, although it is obviousthatmy invention is capable of employment in articles intended for other uses. The object of my invention is to provide a locking device which, while simple in construction and economical to manufacture, shall be strong and substantial in resisting the strains to which it is subjectechand convenient to manipulate in engaging and disengaging the strut from the board. With this object in view I have designed and invented thelocking device hereinafter described, both in a preferred form of embodiment and in other and modified forms, the essential elements of my invention being more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure l is a side view of a portion of an ironing table to which my invention is shown applied, Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the preferred form of my invention; Fig. 3 longitudinal centralsection of the same; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of one modification of my invention; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal centralse'ction of the same; and Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a bottom plan view and a longitudinal central section of another modified form.

The same referencechara'cters indicate the same parts in all the figures of the drawing.

As before stated and as illustrated in the drawings, my invention is particularly applicable to ironing tableshaving a table memher or board 1 arranged to be supported bya collapsible leg structure including an inclined strut 2 which extends upwardly and rearwardly from a point of support on or connected with the rear legs 3 to an intermediate point on the underside of the board,the leg structure also usually including a front leg 4:, (or pair of front legs) extending forwardly and downward from an intermediate or rearward pivotal mounting on the under side of the board. The specific construction and arrangenient of the folding leg structure is immaterial to my present invention, excepting that my invention is particularly useful in its application to those boards in which the front portion of the board is connected to and supported by an inclined strut, from which construction it results that downward stresgon the board when it is erected and in use brings about a horizontal reaction of the strut tending to cause slippage of the connected parts lengthwise of the board.

Describing now thepreferred form of my invention illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the portion of the locking device secured to the table includes a plate or casing member 5 which is formed with a horizontal base flange 6 seating against the lower face of the ironing board and an offsetopenend rectangular inner portion 7 providing a latch housing or slide-way for the locking slide 8. This locking slide or latch isformed with an outwardly or downwardly turned marginal flange 9 which confines the body of the slide to a position adjacent the face of the board, the flange increasing in height towards the outer or rear end of the slide to form'a wedge face 9 and provide an end flange 9 by means of which the flange may conveniently be manipulated. The portion 7 of the casing member 5 is provided with orifices to accommodate a couple of screws 10- 10 by means of which the casing member is secured to the board, and is also formed with a flanged orifice 11, the flange extending upwardly to a planeadjacent the outer face of the slide 8. The board is formed with a shallow bore in alignment with the orifice 11, and the slide is cut away at its inner end so that when it is in outermost position it leaves the opening and bore unobstructed, and isformed also at such inner end with a central slot 12 which when the slide is in inner position will straddle the neck of the co-operating locking member hereinafter described andprevent withdrawal of the screw head associated there with from the locked engagement thus formed. The body of the slide is also formed with an elongated slot 13 engaging the screw 10, the slot permitting a longitudinal locking and unlocking movement of the slide while preventing its separation from the casing member.

. The upper end of the strut- 2 is cut away at an angle corresponding to the angle at which the strut engages the board, and equipped with a plate member or shoe 14; which is formed with a depending right angled end flange 15 arranged to engage the Vertical forward face of the end of the strut, which is cut back from the inclined face mentioned at a right angle, the positions of the parts referred to being those occupied by such parts when the collapsible leg structure is extended for use, as illustrated in the drawings.

This shoe is formed with a central boss,

struck up from the sheet metal of which it is constructed, and shouldered to to 111 a lower portion 16, arranged to engage the socket provided by the flange of the orifice 11, and an upper and smaller neck portion 17 which serves as a spacing member to hold up the head of the screw-bolt 18 by means of which the shoe is secured to the strut, ano which is straddled by the locking slide or latch before mentioned when the slide is in locking position under the head of the screw, the head of the bolt, with the neck portions 16 and 17 of the shoe, thus together constituting a headed locking button seated in the orifice 11 of the casing member and arranged for engagement with the latch.

It is obvious that with the construction and arrangement of parts described, the flange 15 of the shoe will wholly prevent any tendency of the shoe to slippage rearwardly upon its seat, and that the rearward thrust upon the strut, due to pressure and weight on the board, will be'sustained entirely by the portion 16 of the boss on the shoe, the screw bolt 18 thus serving merely as a means for preventing vertical disengagement and not being subjected to wrenching strains which if exerted directly 7 on the bolt would in time loosen and distort it and impair or destroy the security of the connection between the parts.

It is further obvious that the locking slide may be easily-and conveniently manipulated by means of end flange 9 and that the wedge face 9 of the side members of the flange,

which come into engagement with the inner face of the casing member just as the slide enters locked engagement with the head of r the screw bolt 18, provides a simple and. eifective means for holding the slide in locked position.

In the modified form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the slide-way for the slide 20, which is formed with terminal ears 21 21, to limit the movement of the slide and provide means for manipulating it, extends transversely of the casing member 22, secured to the board. The offset or raised central portion of the casing 22 is formed with a key-hole slot 23 opposite a shallow cavity in the board, to permit the head of the cooperating locking button herein after described to be inserted at the larger end of the slot and then be shifted into engagement with the narrow end. The locking slide 20 is formed with a notch 24 which at one extreme portion of the slide permits insertion of the cooperating locking button, while in the opposite position an uncut portion of the slide locks against the neck of the button and prevents its disengagement.

In this modified form of my invention the shoe 25 is formed with a screw openin c. tending through a circular flange 26 which together with the head of the screw bolt 2? constitutes a locking button for engagement with the locking member secured to the board.

The other modified form of my invention shown in Fi 6 and 7 differs from the form last described in that the latch casing member, marked 50, is formed with a circular raised central portion 31 which at one side has an arcuate opening 32. The retaining latch 33 is formed with a disk-shaped head rotatably seated in the chamber formed by the central portion 31 of the casing member and is manipulated by means of afinger piece 3i projecting through the opening 32. The casing member is formed with a key-hole opening, and the head of the latch 33 is also formed with an opening which in one extreme position of the latch registers with the larger end of the key-hole opening, while in its opposite position an edge of such openin brings up against the head of the cooperating button member of the lock and blocks the neck of said button member within the narrow por tion of the keyhole slot. This cooperating button member may consist of the head. of a screw bolt seating against a circular flange formed on a shoe member, as in the first modi tied form 01 my invention above described.

I claim:

1. In an ironing board or the like having a collapsible leg structure including an inclined supporting strut, means for detachably locking the end of the strut to the board comprising a casing member having a base portion stationarily secured to the boa rd and an oilset orificed portion providing a latch housing, a manually operable oriiiccd latch within said housing, and a headed locking button secured to the end of the strut, and arranged to pass through the orifice in said casing, said latch being movable to latch under the head of said button when in locking position.

2. A locking mechanism according to claim 1 in which said oiiset portion of the casing member forms a slideway and said latch is slidingly mounted therein.

3. In an ironing board or the like having a collapsible structure including an inclined supporting strut, means for detachably locking the end of the strut to the board comprising a casing member having a base portion secured to the board and an offset oriiiccd portion providing a slideway, a manually operable orificed sliding latch in said slideway having marginal flanges of which at least one flange is formed with a wedge face at the outer end of the latch, and a headed locking button secured to the end oi the strut and arranged to engage the orilices in said latch and said casing.

4:- In an ironing board or the like having a collapsible leg structure including an inclined supporting strut, means for detachably locking the end oi the strut to the board comprising a casing member having a base portion secured to the board and an offset portion providing an open-end rectangular slideway, said oilset portion being orificed, a manually-operable orificed sliding latch in said slideway having outwardly disposed side flanges of which at least one flange is formed with a wedge face adjacent the outer end of the latch and having at said out-er end a connecting cross flange forming a finger piece, and. a headed locking button secured to the end of the strut and arranged to engage the orifices in said latch and said casing.

5. In an ironing board or the like having a collapsible leg structure including an inclined supporting strut, means for detachably locking the end of the strut to the board comprising a plate member secured to the board and a second plate member secured to the strut and arranged to contact said firstmentioned plate member when in locked position, said first-mentioned plate member being formed with an orifice and said second-mentioned plate member being formed with an upwardly-extending orificed boss arranged to engage said orifice, a headed bolt extending through said boss and strut constituting the means for securing the plate formed with such boss to the strut, and a sliding latch on said first-mentioned plate arranged to latch under the head of said bolt.

6. In an ironing board or the like having a collapsible leg structure including an inclined supporting strut, means for detachably locking the end of the strut to the board comprising a plate member having a base portion secured to the board and an offset orificed portion forming a slideway, said offset portion being upwardly flanged about its orifice, a sliding latch in said slideway having a locking portion adjacent the plane of the end 01 said flange, and a second plate member secured to the strut and arranged to contact said first mentioned plate member when in operative position, said second plate member being formed with a boss having a wall arranged to seat Within said flange and a connected neck of smaller diameter and said neck being equipped with ahead, and

said sliding latch being arranged to engage with said neck and head.

7. A locking mechanism according to claim 6 in which said head is the head of a screw bolt constituting the means for securing said second plate member to the strut.

8. In an ironing board or the like having a collapsible leg structure including an inclined supporting strut, means for detachably locking the end of the strut to the board comprising a casing member having a base portion stationarily secured to the board and an offset orificed portion providing a latch housing, a manually operable orificed latch within said housing, and a headed locking button secured to the end of the strut and arranged to pass through the orifice in said casing, said latch being movable into and out of position of interference with the head of the button and blocking the button against disengagement when in looking position.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

HENRY J. GILBERT. 

